Why did Etsy Ads turn on automatically in my shop, and how do I stop it?

Hi! Etsy Ads generally shouldn’t “turn itself on” without some action on the account, so when it keeps reactivating, it’s usually one of these: (1) someone/something with access is re-enabling it (another user on the account, a compromised login, or a connected third‑party app/integration), (2) you’re turning off advertised listings but not actually pausing the Etsy Ads campaign, or (3) you’re mixing up Etsy Ads with Offsite Ads (Offsite Ads enrollment is separate, and for some shops it can’t be fully opted out).

Here’s how to make sure Etsy Ads stays OFF (and rule out the common gotchas):

• Pause the campaign (not just listings): Shop Manager → Marketing → Etsy Ads → Settings → “Pause Etsy Ads.” If the campaign is paused, it should stay paused unless someone reactivates it.
• Check the Seller app behavior: If you create new listings in the Etsy Seller app, Etsy can automatically include those new listings in your Etsy Ads campaign. That doesn’t always “unpause” ads by itself, but it can make it look like ads are back on if the campaign was reactivated later. After creating listings, double-check the campaign status and the “include in Etsy Ads” toggle on the listing.
• Confirm it’s not Offsite Ads emails/settings: Offsite Ads are separate from Etsy Ads and many sellers are automatically enrolled; whether you can opt out depends on your shop’s sales level over the last 365 days. So if the email is actually about Offsite Ads, turning Etsy Ads off won’t stop those notifications.

If you suspect account access or a connected tool is flipping it back on, do this next (in this order):

1. Change your Etsy password (and make it unique—don’t reuse one from anywhere else).
2. Turn on Two‑Factor Authentication (2FA) (authenticator app is best).
3. In Account settings → Security, review Sign-in history and sign out of any sessions/devices you don’t recognize.
4. In Account settings → Apps / Connected apps, revoke anything you don’t 100% trust or no longer use (bulk editors, listing tools, print partners, “growth” apps, etc.). Those tools can sometimes change marketing settings if they have the right permissions.
5. If anyone else helps you (VA, employee, freelancer), make sure they’re not logging in as you and re-enabling Etsy Ads as part of “optimizing.”

One more important note: treat the “your ads are now active” emails cautiously. If you clicked anything in those emails, stop doing that—log in by typing Etsy into your browser/app directly instead. If, after you’ve secured the account and revoked apps, Etsy Ads still re-enables, it’s time to contact Etsy Support and tell them the approximate dates it reactivated and that you’ve already changed your password, enabled 2FA, and revoked connected apps.